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Swans To Open Bony Talks

A transfer saga involving Manchester City, Chelsea and Swansea City seemed to be put into the spotlight this afternoon when Wales Online reported that we have been given permission to open talks with Wilfried Bony.

With Chelsea reportedly after the services of Fernando Llorente (again) then it does seem as if we are looking immediately for replacements and the name of Bony has been linked for a couple of weeks now since it has been known that he was surplus to requirements at the Ethiad Stadium.

A stumbling block could well be his reported £130,000 per week wages that could be difficult - if not impossible - for the Swans to match but in the desire for first team football there is always the chance that he could drop those significantly.

With potentially two big outward transfers coming up in the next few weeks - Sigurdsson appears to be closing in on an Everton move - the Swans will have a significant transfer budget available to them and a move for Bony would certainly make sense if Llorente leaves.

The Ivorian international spent last season on loan at Stoke but never fitted in and has played minimal first team football since his departure from the Liberty Stadium after a very successful spell.

A return to the club would no doubt be a popular move with the fans and a potential choice or pairing between Bony and Tammy Abraham feels a good one to be working with.

It is difficult to see that we would want Bony at the club if Llorente moves and this report this afternoon - assuming it is true - suggests that a move to the Champions for the striker is closer to being completed then maybe any of us believed. Those chances surely increased earlier today when it was reported that Chelsea's other target - Christian Benteke - was not prepared to jeopardise first team football in a World Cup year.

Looks set to be an interesting few days ahead

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